The storm came without warning, swallowing the town in thunder and static. Power lines crackled, trees bent to the will of the wind, and in the middle of it all, Ellie sat alone in the radio station.
Station KZ-13 was a relic - an old emergency broadcast center tucked away in the hills, long forgotten by most. Ellie, a part-time night DJ and full-time loner, liked it that way. The air was filled with the hiss of white noise, broken only by the occasional thunderclap. She leaned into the mic, flicking the switch to go live.
"This is Ellie at KZ-13. Looks like the storm's in full swing. Stay safe, stay dry."
The static roared. Then, silence. Then - a voice.
"Help? me?"
She froze. No one was supposed to be on the line. She adjusted the dials. "Hello? You're live - do you need help?"
"Trapped? down here?"
"Where?"
"?In the walls?"
Ellie laughed nervously, thinking it was a prank. "Alright, very funny - "
"I hear you breathing."
The line went dead.
Chilled, Ellie tried to brush it off. Just a hacker or someone playing games. She went to play a record, but the needle slid across the vinyl on its own, emitting a horrible screech. Lights flickered. From the corner of her eye, something moved.
She turned. No one was there.
Suddenly, every speaker in the station burst into life - playing back her voice, but distorted.
"This is Ellie at KZ-13? KZ-13? stay? stay? stay?"
The pitch warped until it was nothing but an inhuman growl.
Then - footsteps. From behind the studio wall.
Ellie grabbed her flashlight and pushed open the maintenance door. The corridor behind was supposed to be sealed - abandoned for years. But now it was open, the darkness inside impossibly deep.
"Hello?" she whispered.
No answer.
She stepped inside. The door slammed behind her.
Silence.
Her flashlight flickered on and off. The walls were covered in scratched messages.
**I CALLED**
**YOU NEVER ANSWERED**
**NOW YOU'RE HERE TOO**
A cold breath grazed her neck.
She turned -
And the flashlight died.
Outside, the radio crackled back to life. A voice came through, calm and steady.
"This is Ellie at KZ-13. Stay safe, stay dry. We're always listening."
But Ellie was no longer in the booth.
And someone else was wearing her voice.
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Station KZ-13 was a relic - an old emergency broadcast center tucked away in the hills, long forgotten by most. Ellie, a part-time night DJ and full-time loner, liked it that way. The air was filled with the hiss of white noise, broken only by the occasional thunderclap. She leaned into the mic, flicking the switch to go live.
"This is Ellie at KZ-13. Looks like the storm's in full swing. Stay safe, stay dry."
The static roared. Then, silence. Then - a voice.
"Help? me?"
She froze. No one was supposed to be on the line. She adjusted the dials. "Hello? You're live - do you need help?"
"Trapped? down here?"
"Where?"
"?In the walls?"
Ellie laughed nervously, thinking it was a prank. "Alright, very funny - "
"I hear you breathing."
The line went dead.
Chilled, Ellie tried to brush it off. Just a hacker or someone playing games. She went to play a record, but the needle slid across the vinyl on its own, emitting a horrible screech. Lights flickered. From the corner of her eye, something moved.
She turned. No one was there.
Suddenly, every speaker in the station burst into life - playing back her voice, but distorted.
"This is Ellie at KZ-13? KZ-13? stay? stay? stay?"
The pitch warped until it was nothing but an inhuman growl.
Then - footsteps. From behind the studio wall.
Ellie grabbed her flashlight and pushed open the maintenance door. The corridor behind was supposed to be sealed - abandoned for years. But now it was open, the darkness inside impossibly deep.
"Hello?" she whispered.
No answer.
She stepped inside. The door slammed behind her.
Silence.
Her flashlight flickered on and off. The walls were covered in scratched messages.
**I CALLED**
**YOU NEVER ANSWERED**
**NOW YOU'RE HERE TOO**
A cold breath grazed her neck.
She turned -
And the flashlight died.
Outside, the radio crackled back to life. A voice came through, calm and steady.
"This is Ellie at KZ-13. Stay safe, stay dry. We're always listening."
But Ellie was no longer in the booth.
And someone else was wearing her voice.
Would you like a cover image or illustration for this story?
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